Submitted by: Vivian Komando, Pope
John Paul II High School,
Hendersonville, TN
UNIT: Sculpture -Mixed Media -Textures - Contemporary art
Lesson: Whimsical Metal Sculpture
Grade Level: Middle school through high school
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Finished works are about 6" to 9" in size.
Vivian
created a PowerPoint using the work of Beth Piver. Some
of the images are shown here.
Images are shown by permission of the artist. All images are
copyrighted (and may only be used for in class presentations - no commercial
use)
Beth
Piver Designs consists
of a husband and wife team of artists who design and
create
a wide range of contemporary artwork.
They are best
known for mixed
metal sculpture and jewelry,
which can be found in galleries and craft stores around the country
and overseas. Constructed from silver,
copper, brass, bronze and colored metal wire,
the jewelry is assembled by hand using "cold-connections."
This technique, which uses rivets,
nuts and bolts
instead of soldering, gives the work an unusual texture and a striking
visual aesthetic. Many of the pieces also incorporate spinning or
moving parts to accent the jewelry's whimsical nature. (See
some examples of their jewelry)
Like
their jewelry, their mixed-media
sculpture
is constructed from a variety of metals, as well as wood,
computer-generated imagery, and all kinds of unusual found objects. Most
of their sculptural work is figurative, and they often create pieces
that are bizarre
characters with their own personalities. Many pieces also
have elements
that spin,
bend, spring or twist (See some examples of
their sculptures)
Beth
Piver’s
works are the latest manifestation
of her artistic explorations. Her
pieces are full of color and energy, and are typically
very abstract. The
result is a body of artwork that is exciting and quite unique!
Resources:
Beth
Piver Designs
Also
see Mullanium - jewelry and wall art designed by Jim Mullen and
produced by a group of artists in Florida.
Vocabulary:
Background
- Bizarre - Cold connection -
Computer generated imagery
Foreground
- Found Object - Figurative
sculpture - Incising
- Linear
Quality
Middle ground - Mixed
Media - Nonsensical - Rubbings
- Whimsical
Materials: Tooling foil in
assorted colors, scissors, wire (various sizes and metals), pliers,
found objects, computer
– generated images, cut – outs from magazines or newspapers,
fabric, recycled pieces from aluminum cans, watches, or jewelry,
wire, nuts, nails, screws, or bolts (hit the garage sales
for old jewelry to incorporate), various hardware screens, texture
panels (Op Art texture panels work well), modeling tools, rivets/eyelets,
brads. Odds and ends metal parts (check a recycling center near you
or hardware store)
Motivation:
Present
PowerPoint of work by Beth Piver. Discuss work -Critique. Show
other examples of assemblage art. Present materials and techniques
to use.
Assignment:
Student
create their own
nonsensical, whimsical, figurative sculpture. Their piece is to have
the following:
-
Two
sketches of designs for your figurative sculpture. Give it
personality!
-
Mixed
Media – Incorporate various materials such as metal, computer
– generated images, cut – outs from magazines or newspapers,
fabric, recycled pieces from aluminum cans, watches, or jewelry,
wire, nuts, nails, screws, or bolts . You are to have at least 3
different materials in your sculpture.
-
Design
elements to be used should include:
A.
The CONTRAST / VARIETY of materials. (Metal, paper, fabric, wire )
B. The CONTRAST of
human to machine.
C. TEXTURE within
certain shapes, which may be created by incising or rubbings
D. PATTERN
created by repetition of shapes or weaving of materials
E. LINEAR
quality somewhere on the sculpture
Assessment:
Student critique, Rubric based on criteria.
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